Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI) initiate a cascade of events that lead to a plethora of adverse effects including dramatic elevations of intracranial pressure (ICP) and dysfunction of cerebrovascular regulatory mechanisms essential for survival. Ischemic brain injury is observed universally in those patients who die following severe TBI. Intracranial hypertension (IH) following traumatic brain injury is associated with direct effects on cerebral perfusion which may be responsible for secondary ischemia. The contributions of both post-traumatic cerebral edema and alteration in cerebral blood volume to ICP appear to vary based on the length of time after the primary mechanical insult. This combination of vasomotor dysfunction and abnormalities in vascular permeability is characteristic of acute inflammation.
The mortality rate from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States alone amounts to 9-30 deaths per 100,000. Those suffering brain injury requiring medical treatment number 160-300 per 100,000, with approximately 20 percent of patients admitted to treatment facilities sustain a moderate to severe degree of injury as measured by the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 3-12. Direct costs of brain injury, including the costs of treatment and long-term care, as well as indirect costs, including disablement and the loss of productivity of brain injury patients and other such costs, are staggering.
One approach to treating severe traumatic brain injuries is with hypothermia, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,204 to Clifton. The procedure includes the introduction of specified medication to reduce the risk of cardiac arrhythmia and a complicated protocol for the treatment which defines time, temperature, rate of change of temperature, the timing of the introduction of medications, and rigidly controlled rewarming to reduce the incidence of rewarming shock in recovering patients.
There exists a need to provide simplified methodology for treating traumatic brain injuries in mammals, including humans. The present invention addresses and solves the problems attendant upon multistep, complicated processes for treating severe traumatic brain injuries.